Terms Used in This Water Quality Report

Action Level (AL): The concentration of a contaminant that triggers treatment or other requirement that a water system must follow.

Combined Radium: Radium 226 + Radium 228

E. coli: Bacteria from human and animal fecal waste

HAA5s: Haloacetic acids.

LRAA: Locational Running Annual Average mg/L: Milligrams per liter, also referred to as parts per million (for example, one minute in two years).

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLG as feasible using the best available treatment technology.

Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.

Maximum Residual Disinfection Level (MRDL): The highest level of a disinfection allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants.

ND: Analyte was not detected or was below the method detection limit of the laboratory’s instrumentation.

NTUs: Nephelometric Turbidity Units; a measure of turbidity.

P/A: Present or Absent pCi/L: Picocuries per liter is a measure of the radioactivity in water. ppm: One part per million, also referred to as mg/L, (for example, one minute in two years). ppb: One part per billion, also referred to as μg/L (for example, one minute in 2,000 years). ppt: One part per trillion, also referred to as ng/L (for example, one second in nearly 32,000 years).

TTHMs: Total Trihalomethanes μg/L: Micrograms per liter, also referred to as parts per billion (for example, one minute in 2,000 years). μmhos/cm: Micromhos per centimeter; a measure of conductivity.

Treatment Technique (TT): A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.

Substance

Source of Substance

Alkalinity Measurement of naturally occurring carbonates

Antimony Discharge from petroleum refineries; fire retardants; ceramics; electronics; solder

Arsenic Erosion of natural deposits; runoff from orchards, runoff from glass and electronics production wastes

Barium Discharge from drilling wastes; discharge from metal refineries; erosion of natural deposits

Beryllium Discharge from metal refineries and coal-burning factories; discharge from electrical, aerospace, and defense industries

Cadmium Corrosion of galvanized pipes; erosion of natural deposits; discharge from metal refineries; runoff from waste batteries and paints

Chlorate By-product of treating drinking water with chlorine dioxide

Chlorine Required disinfectant added during treatment process to eliminate bacteria

Chlorite By-product of treating drinking water with chlorine dioxide

Chromium Discharge from steel and pulp mills; erosion of natural deposits

Conductivity Physical property of water

Copper Natural\industrial deposits, plumbing, wood preservatives

Corrosivity Physical property of water that occurs when water reacts with metal

Ethylbenzene Discharge from petroleum refineries

Fecal Coliforms Human and animal waste

Fluoride Erosion of natural deposits; water additive which promotes strong teeth; discharge from aluminum and fertilizer factories

Gross Alpha Erosion of natural deposits

Gross Beta Decay of natural and man-made deposits

HAA5s By-product of drinking water chlorination

Hardness Measurement of naturally occurring hardness metals

HFPO-DA

Hexafluoropropylene oxide-dimer acid; an industrial replacement for the straight-chain perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Also called GenX.

Iron Naturally occurring in the environment

Lead Natural\industrial deposits, plumbing solder, brass alloy in faucets

Manganese Naturally occurring in the environment

Orthophosphate (as P) Corrosion inhibitor added during treatment process

PFOA Perfluorooctanoic acid is a manmade chemical used to make everyday products we use resist heat, oil, stains, grease, and water.

Radium 226/228 Erosion of natural deposits

Selenium Discharge from petroleum refineries; erosion of natural deposits; discharge from mines

Sodium Naturally occurring in the environment

Styrene Discharge from rubber and plastic factories; leaching from landfills

Thallium Leaching from ore-processing sites; discharge from electronics, glass, and drug factories

Toluene Discharge from petroleum factories

Total Coliforms Naturally present in the environment

Total Nitrate & Nitrite (as N) Run-off from fertilizer use; leaching from septic tanks, sewage; erosion of natural deposits

TTHMs By-product of drinking water chlorination

Vinyl Chloride Leaching from PVC pipes; discharge from plastic factories

Xylene Discharge from petroleum factories; discharge from chemical factory

Zinc Naturally occurring in the environment

1,2-dichlorobenzene Discharge from industrial chemical factories

1,2,4-trichlorobenzene Discharge from textile finishing factories